Clarenville—Bonavista Regional Council of the Rural Secretariat Executive Council Annual Activity Report 2011-12 Message from the Chair As Chairperson for the Clarenville - Bonavista Regional Council, I hereby submit the Activity Report for the 2011-12 fiscal year. The period of time covered by this report extends from April 1, 2011 through to March 31, 2012. On behalf of the council, and in accordance with the Transparency and Accountability Act, my signature is indicative of the Council’s accountability for the results reported. During the past year, the council focused on its commitments as contained in the first year of the 2011-14 Activity Plan document. Throughout the process, the council continued to engage government and community stakeholders. Consequently, it proved to be very busy and rewarding year with the council developing new understandings of the issues we hoped to address. During the year, council met five times to discuss issues relating to the fishery, affordable housing, regional economic development, support for the voluntary sector and the need to protect our cultural heritage and identity. Additionally, council followed with great interest the collaboration work that has been taking place in the Isthmus of Avalon region in relation to the Hebron project. The council engaged many partners including government, academia and community stakeholders to support the council’s continued efforts to understand the issues and submit well-informed policy advice to the Provincial Government. These conversations have helped the council in formulating its perspectives and in building a knowledge base as we seek to refine our policy advice. In closing, I, on behalf of the Clarenville - Bonavista Regional Council, want to express our sincere thanks to the Provincial Government for its interest in our work and we look forward to continuing our collective efforts to support the sustainability of this diverse region. Sincerely, Janet Fay Matthews Chair Clarenville - Bonavista Regional Council of the Rural Secretariat Clarenville - Bonavista Regional Council of the Rural Secretariat Page 1 Activity Report 2011-12 Table of Contents 1. Overview of the Region ............................................................................................... 3 2. Regional Council Overview....................................................................................... 4 3. Mandate ................................................................................................................................ 4 4. Lines of Business ............................................................................................................ 5 5. Values ................................................................................................................................... 6 6. Primary Clients ................................................................................................................ 6 7. Vision ..................................................................................................................................... 7 8. Mission .................................................................................................................................. 7 9. Report on Performance .............................................................................................. 7 10. Additional Highlights .............................................................................................. 11 11. Opportunities and Challenges Ahead .............................................................. 12 Appendix A: Strategic Directions................................................................................ 14 Appendix B: Organizational Chart ............................................................................. 15 Appendix C: Map of Rural Secretariat Regions ................................................... 16 Appendix D: Mandates of Rural Secretariat and Provincial Council ..................................................................................................................................... 17 Clarenville - Bonavista Regional Council of the Rural Secretariat Page 2 Activity Report 2011-12 1. Overview of the Region The 2011 Census population for Clarenville - Bonavista Rural Secretariat Region was 27,850. This represents a decline of 2.8 percent since 2006. Over the same period, the entire province experienced a population increase of 1.8 percent since 2006 (514,536 in 2011, up from 505,470). The 2007 gross income for every man, woman, and child (gross personal income per capita) in Clarenville - Bonavista Rural Secretariat Region was $22,300. For the province, gross personal income per capita was $24,900. After tax personal income per capita, adjusted for inflation, was $15,000 for Clarenville - Bonavista Rural Secretariat Region in 2007. For the province it was $16,400. The 2007 self-reliance ratio for Clarenville - Bonavista Rural Secretariat Region was 71.6 percent. This is a measure of the community's dependency on government transfers such as: Canada Pension, Old Age Security, Employment Insurance, Income Support Assistance, etc. The higher the percentage of income that comes from transfers the lower the self-reliance ratio. The provincial self-reliance ratio for 2007 was 79.4 percent. The unemployment rate in May 2006 for people between 18 and 64 years of age was 24.1 percent. The provincial unemployment rate was 18.5 percent. The employment rate for the entire year 2005 for those between 18 and 64 years of age was 74.8 percent. The provincial employment rate for the same period was 76.7 percent. The number of individuals in Clarenville - Bonavista Rural Secretariat Region who received Income Support Assistance at some point in the year 2010 was 2,525. The 1991 figure was 5,770. Census 2006 reported 33.5 percent of people 18 to 64 years of age in Clarenville - Bonavista Rural Secretariat Region do not have a high school diploma compared to 25.1 percent of people in the entire province. About 66.5 percent of people in the region aged 18 to 64 had at least a High School diploma in 2006 compared to 74.9 percent in the province as a whole. In Clarenville - Bonavista Rural Secretariat Region about 7.1 percent of those people aged 18 to 64 had a Bachelor's Degree or higher in 2006 compared to 13.3 percent in the province as a whole. A major indicator of well-being is how a person rates their own health status. In 2009-2010, 62.5 percent (+/-7.1 percent) of individuals in Clarenville - Bonavista Rural Secretariat Region rated their health status from very good to excellent. The provincial number in 2009-2010 was 60.1 percent (+/-1.6 percent). In 2009-2010, for Canada, 60.2 percent (+/-0.3 percent) of individuals age 12 and over rated their health status as very good to excellent. Additional information, including gender-specific information and information for other levels of geography, can be found at www.communityaccounts.ca and www.exec.gov.nl.ca/rural. Clarenville - Bonavista Regional Council of the Rural Secretariat Page 3 Activity Report 2011-12 2. Regional Council Overview Currently, the Clarenville - Bonavista Regional Council is comprised of 10 members; six female and four male. The council currently has representation from larger and smaller communities throughout the region, including ten members from communities of less than 5,000 people. The council met five times in 2011-12. The council does not have a budget and, as such, an audited financial statement is not required in this report. Meetings of the council and associated costs are funded through the budget of the Rural Secretariat. The Rural Secretariat also funds a Regional Partnership Planner position in the region, who among other duties, acts as an information resource for the council and facilitates the work of the council and its work plan. The planner for the Clarenville - Bonavista region is Colin Holloway. The nature of this position requires that he travel extensively throughout the region and the province. Mr. Holloway’s office is located at the Bonavista campus of the College of the North Atlantic. Regional Council members Community Janet Fay Matthews (Chairperson) Arnold's Cove Lisa Browne Clarenville Marilyn Coles-Hayley Elliston Darryl Johnson Port Union Shelly Blackmore Port Union Don Mifflin Bonavista Violet Parsons Bloomfield Barry Pearce Port Rexton Edith Samson Port Union Mervin Wiseman (Provincial Council North Harbour Representative) For an updated listing of Council members please visit http://www.exec.gov.nl.ca/rural/regionalmem.asp 3. Mandate The Clarenville - Bonavista Regional Council’s mandate is: To develop a common, evidence-based understanding of the social, economic, environmental and cultural realities facing a region. To review key economic and social measures (e.g. education levels, demographic trends, health status, income levels, EI usage, economic diversity, etc.) and to reach agreement on the priorities for change over the next five years. To identify policies and programs which either a) advance b) negatively impact or c) need to be developed to encourage the necessary change over the five-year period. Clarenville - Bonavista Regional Council of the Rural Secretariat Page 4 Activity Report 2011-12 To advance regional cooperation through the sharing of information on and discussion about the economic and social measures, and to encourage regional partners to take action on and be accountable for those areas within their mandates. To serve as a sounding